Pride Pre-Gamer: 4 Ways to Kick Off Your Weekend Festivities

Already feeling itchy to slip on your Pride shoes and let the festivities begin? Here, I lay out five events that should satiate your cravings before the weekend-long shebang blasts off on Friday.

1. MR. GAY TABU
Leading up to the Mr. Gay Philadelphia pageant at Sunday’s Triumphant Pride, bars across the Gayborhood have been holding pageants to find finalists to rep them in the competition. Tonight, Tabu gets in on the game with Mr. Gay Tabu at Ratchet. Local party promoter Josh Schonewolf and drag momma Cyannie Famouz will host and Mr. Gay Philadelphia 2007 himself, Andy Petruzelli, will sit at the judges table to see which mister has what it takes to follow in his royal footsteps. Wed., June 5, 9 p.m., $5-$15, Tabu Lounge and Sports Bar, 200 S. 12th St.

2. PHILLY DYKE MARCH’S KNOW YOUR RIGHTS TRAINING
If you’re planning on getting extra rowdy in Kahn Park on Saturday for the always-a-blast Philly Dyke March (PDM), you might want to sit in on this refresher course hosted by PDM and Up Against the Law Legal Collective. They’ll break down all the rights we have in protests so we can avoid messy legal situations when the clock strikes rally time. Thu., June 6, 7 p.m., free, William Way Community Center, 1315 Spruce St.

3. PGMC’S PRIDE DRAG REVUE
If you think members of the Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus look stunning in their penguin tuxes, you should get a load of them in drag. For this event, eight members will don heels, wigs and pearls and sing songs to raise money for the PGMC Member Scholarship Fund, a pool of cash that will help members pay dues, afford tuxedo rentals and go on their all-chorus trip to Portland, Ore. next year. They’re encouraging guests to dress up in silver to mark the 25th anniversary of Philly’s Pride celebrations. Thu., June 6, 8 p.m., $10, Club iCandy, 254 S. 12th St.

4. SUGARCOATED CELEBRITIES
Some of your favorite local drag queens will be dressing up as some of your favorite celebs at this drag party/benefit at SugarHouse Casino. Here’s a taste of what you’ll be getting: Host Brittany Lynn will sing live as Babs, Omyra Lynn’s slipping into her freakumest freakum dress to become Beyoncé and Navaya Shay will do the diva she does best: Ms. Spears, y’all! If that’s not enough of a reason to head over, half the admission cost will benefit local hunger-fighting org MANNA. Thu., June 6 9 p.m., $10, SugarHouse Casino, 1001 N. Delaware Ave.

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